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Articles 1 - 30 of 52
Full-Text Articles in Legal Studies
Methodological Improvements In The Mrna Profiling Assays For Incorporation Into Dna Casework Workflows, Paris Volk
Methodological Improvements In The Mrna Profiling Assays For Incorporation Into Dna Casework Workflows, Paris Volk
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Currently, DNA profiling is the gold standard to identify an individual. However, determining body fluid origin is important in criminal investigations, offering additional information surrounding the circumstances of a crime. However, crime labs can only definitively identify blood and semen and presumptively saliva using techniques that consume time and sample and do not simultaneously identify all forensically relevant body fluids. This causes many crime labs to want to bypass body fluid identification altogether. Therefore, advances into more definitive molecular-based body fluid methods are necessary. One such technique is mRNA profiling because it provides a highly sensitive and specific approach to …
Qualitative And Quantitative Elemental Composition Analysis Of The Surrounding Pollen Coating Via Icp-Ms, Brandy Voyer
Qualitative And Quantitative Elemental Composition Analysis Of The Surrounding Pollen Coating Via Icp-Ms, Brandy Voyer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Pollen evidence has proven to be a powerful forensic tool to trace a suspect or item to a victim or a crime scene. This is possible because it is microscopic, abundant in nature, resistant to degradation and decay; it presents dispersal patterns that can be used to generate a 'fingerprint' within specific areas, and has illustrated a unique morphology that can be used to classify species. While the pollen grain morphology has been extensively used to characterize the specific species, not much has been investigated as pertains to the coating that surrounds the pollen grain aside from it being categorized …
Optimizing Laboratory Pyrolysis Methods To Compliment Real World Fire Debris, Richard Coulson
Optimizing Laboratory Pyrolysis Methods To Compliment Real World Fire Debris, Richard Coulson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Forensic analysts are tasked with determining the presence of ignitable liquid residue in fire debris. Analysis of fire debris allows the analyst to understand how the fire occurred. However, the presence of some substrates can potentially impact the identification of ignitable liquid residue and classification of a sample as positive or negative for the presence of ignitable liquid. Pyrolysis of building materials and furnishings (substrates) lead to background interference within the resulting chromatographic profile. To combat misclassification of a sample as positive for ignitable liquid residue, knowledge of the pyrolysis products from individual substrates is of utmost importance. However, unburned …
Probation Officer Productivity: Using The Effort-Reward Imbalance Model, Brandon Presley
Probation Officer Productivity: Using The Effort-Reward Imbalance Model, Brandon Presley
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which workplace efforts and rewards are associated with probation officer stress, overcommitment, health, and productivity. This research uses the effort-reward imbalance model, which is an indicator of job stress, on a group of criminal justice probation officers. The probation officers completed questionnaires regarding their perceptions of health, perceived reward, perceived effort, perceptions of overcommitment, and perceived productivity. Afterward, the responses were collected, and analyses were conducted using correlation and multiple regression to determine the extent to which perceptions of effort, reward, and overcommitment effect probation officer productivity and health. …
Mongodb Incidence Response, Cory Morales
Mongodb Incidence Response, Cory Morales
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
NoSQL (Not only SQL) databases have been gaining some popularity over the last few years. Such big companies as Expedia, Shutterfly, MetLife, and Forbes use NoSQL databases to manage data on different projects. These databases can contain a variety of information ranging from nonproprietary data to personally identifiable information like social security numbers. Databases run the risk of cyber intrusion at all times. This paper gives a brief explanation of NoSQL and thoroughly explains a method of Incidence Response with MongoDB, a NoSQL database provider. This method involves an automated process with a new self-built software tool that analyzing MongoDB …
The Female Human Trafficker In The Criminal Justice System: A Test Of The Chivalry Hypothesis, Brielle Francis
The Female Human Trafficker In The Criminal Justice System: A Test Of The Chivalry Hypothesis, Brielle Francis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The involvement of women in human trafficking within the United States has received limited research attention. Human trafficking encompasses labor, sex, and organ trafficking (Roberts, 2012). In 2009 the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that women play a significant role in human trafficking. Nagel and Johnson (1994) conclude that, historically, female offenders have stayed at the edge of the criminal justice system. Generally, theories about prosecution and conviction outcomes derive from the study of male offenders. Women can be involved in all aspects of the human trafficking organizations, from the recruitment, to the supervision of prostitutes …
The Estimation Of Germ Line De Novo Mutation Rates Of Extended Sets Of Y-Str Haplotypes To Aid In The Differentiation Of Male Biological Relatives In Criminal Investigations, Nicole Masker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
An important forensic application for Y-chromosome short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) is the identification of male DNA. Since the Y-chromosome is non-recombining and most Y-STRs have slippage mutation rates on the order of 1x10-3 or lower, Y-STR commercial multiplex systems do not yet allow personal individualization. This is problematic in criminal investigations where the persons of interest include males of the same paternal line. In order to obtain discrimination among paternal male relatives, it would be necessary to use a larger number of Y-STRs or a selection of Y-loci with higher slippage mutations with the hope of encountering a germline meiotic …
Classification Of Silicone-Based Personal And Condom Lubricants Using Dart-Tofms, Lauren Harvey
Classification Of Silicone-Based Personal And Condom Lubricants Using Dart-Tofms, Lauren Harvey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Sexual lubricants are used to enable sexual encounters. There are different types of sexual lubricants such as water-based, oil-based, and silicone-based. They come pre-applied to condoms and separately in bottles as personal lubricants. Although sexual lubricants are intended for consensual use, they are also unfortunately used during the commission of sexual assaults. The analysis of sexual lubricants facilitates sexual assault investigations. With the increased usage of condoms in sexual assault cases, the potential of collected DNA evidence in each case is reduced. In the absence of biological evidence, the presence of sexual lubricants after a sexual assault can provide an …
Development Of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers For Forensic Applications, Sara Martinez
Development Of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers For Forensic Applications, Sara Martinez
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In some forensic disciplines various methods of extraction are used to perform analysis. Among these methods, solid phase extraction (SPE) and solid phase microextraction (SPME) are used in fields such as toxicology and explosives analysis. To enhance extraction efficiency in SPE and SPME, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), which are designer polymers, can be more selective for the binding of an analyte or group of analytes that are similarly structured. Separation of analytes from complex mixtures is possible by utilizing these polymers. This may be especially useful in forensic applications where sample sizes may be small and composition may be complex. …
Falling Behind In Pay: A Longitudinal Test Of Equity Theory Among Florida Municipal Police Agencies' Salaries, Robert Lord
Falling Behind In Pay: A Longitudinal Test Of Equity Theory Among Florida Municipal Police Agencies' Salaries, Robert Lord
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Prior research has found equity theory explains employee responses to falling wages in relation to other comparable workers. The present research attempts to contribute to the criminal justice literature by directly testing equity theory within the policing context, something no study has done to date. Applied to policing, equity theory predicts sworn officers employed by departments with falling or inequitable salaries (i.e., their salaries fail to keep up with those at other regional agencies) will reduce their work input (i.e., discretionary arrests) and/or quit in higher numbers than before (i.e., increase attrition). The present study also attempts to quantify how …
Characterization Of Post-Fire Priming Cup Residue Using Scanning Electron Microscopy Coupled With Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry, Molly Terry
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Ammunition is most often comprised of a lead-based priming mixture which contributes to the traditional characteristics of gunshot residue (GSR). Due to the health risks often associated with lead, lead-free primer alternatives are becoming increasingly more popular. Thus, it is becoming more difficult to determine the presence of GSR based on traditional means, i.e. the presence of lead (Pb), barium (Ba), and antimony (Sb). Eight different ammunitions were purchased which consisted of one lead-based and one lead-free from four different manufacturers, including Winchester, Federal, Liberty, and Sellier & Bellot. Half of the rounds from each manufacturer and chemical composition (i.e. …
Strategies For Enhanced Genetic Analysis Of Trace Dna From Touch Dna Evidence And Household Dust, Katherine Farash
Strategies For Enhanced Genetic Analysis Of Trace Dna From Touch Dna Evidence And Household Dust, Katherine Farash
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In forensic casework it is often necessary to obtain genetic profiles from crime scene samples that contain increasingly smaller amounts of genetic material, called Low Template DNA (LTDNA). Two examples of LTDNA sources are touch DNA evidence and dust bunnies. Touch DNA refers to DNA that is left behind through casual contact of a donor with an object or another person. Touch DNA can be used to prove a suspect was present at a crime scene. Dust bunnies, or dust conglomerates, typically contain trapped shed skin cells of anyone in the vicinity along with fibers, dirt, hair, and other trace …
From American Service To Disservice: An Exploration Of The Impact Of Military Experience Among An Incarcerated Population, Erika Brooke
From American Service To Disservice: An Exploration Of The Impact Of Military Experience Among An Incarcerated Population, Erika Brooke
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation research examines the impact of military service among an incarcerated population. It addresses the gaps identified within the prior literature by taking a closer look at the association between service experience and criminal justice outcomes. Specifically, the present study explores whether branch type, combat exposure, age of entrance, service length, and discharge status impact the number of lifetime arrests, current offense type, and institutional misconduct. This research uses data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics* 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. Multivariate analyses indicate that different elements of military participation influence criminal and …
Quantitative Assessment Of The Effects Of Microbial Degradation Of A Simple Hydrocarbon Mixture, Jessica Kindell
Quantitative Assessment Of The Effects Of Microbial Degradation Of A Simple Hydrocarbon Mixture, Jessica Kindell
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Ignitable liquids consist of either a single organic compound or a complex organic mixture. In regards to fire debris analysis, the analyst is responsible for determining if an ignitable liquid residue is present. However, when extracted from soil-containing fire debris evidence, chemical degradation from microorganisms is observed to result in the loss of compounds based on chemical structure. It can also happen when the evidence container is stored at room temperature before analysis. This can present a challenge to the fire debris analyst when identifying and classifying the ignitable liquid residue based on the criteria established by standard test methods. …
Providing Context To The Clues: Recovery And Reliability Of Location Data From Android Devices, Connie Bell
Providing Context To The Clues: Recovery And Reliability Of Location Data From Android Devices, Connie Bell
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Mobile device data continues to increase in significance in both civil and criminal investigations. Location data is often of particular interest. To date, research has established that the devices are location aware, incorporate a variety of resources to obtain location information, and cache the information in various ways. However, a review of the existing research suggests varying degrees of reliability of any such recovered location data. In an effort to clarify the issue, this project offers case studies of multiple Android mobile devices utilized in controlled conditions with known settings and applications in documented locations. The study uses data recovered …
Privatization Of Florida Juvenile Residential Facilities, Katherine Hancock
Privatization Of Florida Juvenile Residential Facilities, Katherine Hancock
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Privatization of juvenile facilities and services has been the norm since the inception of the juvenile justice system. However, little research has been performed examining the impact of privatization on juvenile justice, despite the possible repercussions of this policy for the juveniles served. Prior research on privatization in other fields has tended to find a connection between privatization and outcomes; however, very little research has examined how privatization impacts operations, how operations impact recidivism, and how privatization and operations interact to produce juvenile justice outcomes. This exploratory study, informed by cybernetic systems theory and principal-agent theory, examined the mechanism by …
Offender Reentry: A Mixed Model Study Of Interorganizational Commitment To Partnership, Gail Humiston
Offender Reentry: A Mixed Model Study Of Interorganizational Commitment To Partnership, Gail Humiston
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study explores the associations between the independent variables of organizational motivations and culture with the dependent variable of organizational commitment to local jail reentry partnerships. A cross-sectional, mixed methods design was used based primarily on a quantitative survey mailed to organizational informants involved in jail reentry activities within three central Florida counties. Qualitative data was also collected by observing conveniently sampled reentry meetings and analyzing the content of social artifacts, such as meeting handouts, minutes, e-mails, and other related documents. This study extends the literature by using the theoretical framework of Oliver (1990) to develop measures of organizations' motivations …
Threat Communication As It Relates To Perception Of Victimization: A Study Of Awareness Of Concealed Weapon Permit Issuance, Cody Jordan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Concealed weapon permit issuance is one of the most contentious topics debated in modern politics today. The primary point of disagreement within this debate hinges on whether these permits serve to increase violence by those who possess them, or whether they decrease crime through the deterrent effect of their presence in society. Using responses of residents of a large southeast correctional facility this study analyzed the reported inclination of criminals to commit direct contact crimes under several specific scenarios, based on their exposure to various levels of information relating to issuance of concealed weapon permits. By comparing the responses across …
Investigators' Perceptions Of Inter-Jurisdictional Law Enforcement Information Sharing On Criminal Investigative Success: An Exploratory Analysis, Jennifer Freeman-Walker
Investigators' Perceptions Of Inter-Jurisdictional Law Enforcement Information Sharing On Criminal Investigative Success: An Exploratory Analysis, Jennifer Freeman-Walker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Information sharing among law enforcement entities became a national priority after the 9/11 attack (Carter, 2005). Various information systems utilized by law enforcement agencies may be promising; however, there is little extant empirical research to validate the system's effectiveness related to increasing investigative success (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2010). One information system that has tied together numerous Florida law enforcement agencies is the FINDER system. FINDER, the Florida Integrated Network for Data Exchange and Retrieval system, provides agency investigators a wide range of information not previously available (Reynolds, Griset, and Scott, 2006; Scott, 2006). This study's foundation was primarily based …
The Relationship Of State Political Instability And Economic Failure To Predatory Organized Crime In Multiple Nations: A Global Comparative Anaylsis, Terrance Ruth
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation examines the relationship of political instability and economic failure to predatory organized crime in multiple nations. This is an important issue since each year the increase in predatory crime networks contributes to international economic failure, security risks, and the spread of organized crime. In an effort to understand the relationship between state failure and economic failure on the one hand, and organized crime on the other, this study will seek to address three goals. First, the study tests the degree to which variables that imply economic failure and state failure correlate with predatory organized crime. Second, the study …
Development Of Micro Volume Dna And Rna Profiling Assays To Identify The Donor And Tissue Source Of Origin Of Trace Forensic Biological Evidence, Brittany Morgan
Development Of Micro Volume Dna And Rna Profiling Assays To Identify The Donor And Tissue Source Of Origin Of Trace Forensic Biological Evidence, Brittany Morgan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In forensic casework analysis it is necessary to obtain genetic profiles from increasingly smaller amounts of biological material left behind by perpetrators of crime. The ability to obtain profiles from trace biological evidence is demonstrated with so-called ‘touch DNA evidence’ which is perceived to be the result of DNA obtained from shed skin cells transferred from donor to an object or person during physical contact. However, the current method of recovery of trace DNA involves cotton swabs or adhesive tape to sample an area of interest. This "blindswabbing" approach may result in the recovery of biological material from different individuals …
A Mixed-Methods Approach To Examining The Memphis Crisis Intervention Team (Cit) Model: An Exploratory Study Of Program Effectiveness And Institutionalization Processes, Megan Magers
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study utilized a mixed-methods strategy to examine the effectiveness, diffusion, and institutionalization of the Memphis Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model. To evaluate the effectiveness of the training component of the CIT model, a panel research design was employed in which a sample of 179 law enforcement officers and 100 correctional officers in nine Florida counties were surveyed on the first day of training (pretest), the last day of training (posttest), and one month following their completion of CIT training (follow-up). These surveys measured the extent to which CIT training achieved several officer-level objectives, including increased knowledge of mental …
The Hermeneutics Of The Hard Drive: Using Narratology, Natural Language Processing, And Knowledge Management To Improve The Effectiveness Of The Digital Forensic Process, Mark Pollitt
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In order to protect the safety of our citizens and to ensure a civil society, we ask our law enforcement, judiciary and intelligence agencies, under the rule of law, to seek probative information which can be acted upon for the common good. This information may be used in court to prosecute criminals or it can be used to conduct offensive or defensive operations to protect our national security. As the citizens of the world store more and more information in digital form, and as they live an ever-greater portion of their lives online, law enforcement, the judiciary and the Intelligence …
Hfs Plus File System Exposition And Forensics, Scott Ware
Hfs Plus File System Exposition And Forensics, Scott Ware
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Macintosh Hierarchical File System Plus, HFS +, or as it is commonly referred to as the Mac Operating System, OS, Extended, was introduced in 1998 with Mac OS X 8.1. HFS+ is an update to HFS, Mac OS Standard format that offers more efficient use of disk space, implements international friendly file names, future support for named forks, and facilitates booting on non-Mac OS operating systems through different partition schemes. The HFS+ file system is efficient, yet, complex. It makes use of B-trees to implement key data structures for maintaining meta-data about folders, files, and data. The implementation of …
The Implications Of Virtual Environments In Digital Forensic Investigations, Farrah M. Patterson
The Implications Of Virtual Environments In Digital Forensic Investigations, Farrah M. Patterson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This research paper discusses the role of virtual environments in digital forensic investigations. With virtual environments becoming more prevalent as an analysis tool in digital forensic investigations, it’s becoming more important for digital forensic investigators to understand the limitation and strengths of virtual machines. The study aims to expose limitations within commercial closed source virtual machines and open source virtual machines. The study provides a brief overview of history digital forensic investigations and virtual environments, and concludes with an experiment with four common open and closed source virtual machines; the effects of the virtual machines on the host machine as …
The Application Of Chemometrics To The Detection And Classification Of Ignitable Liquids In Fire Debris Using The Total Ion Spectrum, Jennifer N. Lewis
The Application Of Chemometrics To The Detection And Classification Of Ignitable Liquids In Fire Debris Using The Total Ion Spectrum, Jennifer N. Lewis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Current methods in ignitable liquid identification and classification from fire debris rely on pattern recognition of ignitable liquids in total ion chromatograms, extracted ion profiles, and target compound comparisons, as described in American Standards for Testing and Materials E1618-10. The total ion spectra method takes advantage of the reproducibility among sample spectra from the same American Society for Testing and Materials class. It is a method that is independent of the chromatographic conditions that affect retention times of target compounds, thus aiding in the use of computer-based library searching techniques. The total ion spectrum was obtained by summing the ion …
Assessing Harm Reduction A Qualitative Investigation About The Impact Of Therapeutic Jurisprudence On Non-Completing Drug Court Clients, Traci R. Francis
Assessing Harm Reduction A Qualitative Investigation About The Impact Of Therapeutic Jurisprudence On Non-Completing Drug Court Clients, Traci R. Francis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Currently, the drug court treatment outcome literature provides little guidance about examining clients that fail to complete drug court. Typically, only successful clients are tracked and measured for outcome success characteristics and not much is known about unsuccessful client outcomes. A large portion of individuals who begin drug court do not complete the program. With unsuccessful rates ranging from 34 to 73%, it seems reasonable to examine the outcome of these cases. Ignoring this phenomenon is problematic because various stakeholders remain uninformed about the drug court model’s full effectiveness. The focus on successful clients may fail to fully capture and …
The Relative Recoverability Of Dna And Rna Profiles From Forensically Relevant Body Fluid Stains, Charly Parker
The Relative Recoverability Of Dna And Rna Profiles From Forensically Relevant Body Fluid Stains, Charly Parker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Biological material (fluids or tissues) whether from the victim or suspect is often collected as forensic evidence, and methods to obtain and analyze the DNA found in that material have been well established. The type of body fluid (i.e. blood, saliva, semen, vaginal secretions, and menstrual blood) from which the DNA originated is also of interest, and messenger RNA typing provides a specific and sensitive means of body fluid identification. In order for mRNA profiling to be utilized in routine forensic casework, RNA of sufficient quantity and quality must be obtained from biological fluid stains and the methods used for …
Black Writing Ink Analysis By Direct Infusion Electrospray Mass Spectroscopy, Christopher M. Moody
Black Writing Ink Analysis By Direct Infusion Electrospray Mass Spectroscopy, Christopher M. Moody
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
An optimized method of extraction, an instrumental analysis method and data analysis was proposed for black writing inks based on direct infusion electrospray-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The sampling and analysis method is both minimally destructive and able to assess differences in inks from a reference collection of thirty ballpoint, gel, and rollerball inks. The methanol extracts of ink on paper samples were analyzed with three direct infusion (ESI-MS) methods. Each method varied scan voltage negative and positive, ESI fragmentor applied voltage (+120V, +0V, and -120V), and mobile phase additive. Direct infusion ESI-MS analysis, followed by pair-wise comparisons of the observed ion …
Determining The Presence Of An Ignitable Liquid Residue In Fire Debris Samples Utilizing Target Factor Analysis, Kelly Mchugh
Determining The Presence Of An Ignitable Liquid Residue In Fire Debris Samples Utilizing Target Factor Analysis, Kelly Mchugh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Current fire debris analysis procedure involves using the chromatographic patterns of total ion chromatograms, extracted ion chromatograms, and target compound analysis to identify an ignitable liquid according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E 1618 standard method. Classifying the ignitable liquid is accomplished by a visual comparison of chromatographic data obtained from any extracted ignitable liquid residue in the debris to the chromatograms of ignitable liquids in a database, i.e. by visual pattern recognition. Pattern recognition proves time consuming and introduces potential for human error. One particularly difficult aspect of fire debris analysis is recognizing an ignitable …